New Delhi: Welsh football club Wrexham AFC is going up for the third straight season as they secured a promotion to the EFL Championship after beating Charlton Athletic 3-0 in League One, at the Racecourse Ground on Saturday. They are now only one tier below the elite Premier League and have firmly established themselves as revolutionary underdogs, notching their third promotion in as many seasons.
Midfielder Oliver Rathbone had opened the scoring for Wrexham in the 15th minute, which was followed by a brace from striker Sam Smith in the 18th and 81st minutes. This was their 26th win in League One as they have clinched the second spot with 89 points to their credit, and a game still remaining.
League One, in which Wrexham currently plays, is the third tier of English football, and they will now begin play next season in the Championship, which is the second tier. It is understood that the top two teams in League One are promoted at season’s end, along with the winner of a playoff between the clubs in third to sixth positions. Meanwhile, Birmingham, with 102 points, has already claimed the top position in the league.
WE ARE GOING UP 😍
🔴⚪️ #WxmAFC pic.twitter.com/3rWwTTrgSV
— Wrexham AFC (@Wrexham_AFC) April 26, 2025
The moment we’ve all been waiting for 🆙
🔴⚪️ #WxmAFC pic.twitter.com/BdqQcaq3OW
— Wrexham AFC (@Wrexham_AFC) April 26, 2025
Juggernaut post Reynolds-McElhenney takeover
It has been some run for Wrexham, which has now secured promotion three times in three consecutive seasons. It is surely an achievement that is rarely heard at this level of the English football league system. Moreover, the team looked to have a drastic change in their fortunes after Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney bought the team in November 2020.
Their stint in the last few seasons has seen a major boost under the ownership of the duo, which has chronicled their process of purchasing and rebuilding the club through their popular series “Welcome to Wrexham.”
Only a year after the arrival of Reynolds and McElhenney, Wrexham was promoted to the fourth-tier League Two as they returned to the professional league for the first time in more than a decade. The team was promoted again last year, paving their way to League One in what were back-to-back promotions.
Wrexham is the name.
🔴⚪ #WxmAFC pic.twitter.com/COH5LiyluE
— Wrexham AFC (@Wrexham_AFC) April 26, 2025
Premier League chances?
Wrexham has certainly made history and scripted the story of a lifetime with their back-to-back-to-back promotions, but the odds of getting promoted to the Premier League are relatively low. Many teams in the second division Championship have recently played in the Premier League, and they tend to have better players, grand stadiums, and, of course, more money, which makes it quite difficult for a smaller team like Wrexham to compete.
To draw a fair comparison, it can be understood by the fact that Wrexham has averaged 12,757 fans per game, which is still a relevant number for revenue and ticket sales, considering the home environment. On the contrary, Southampton, which is currently the lowest-ranked Premier League team and is on the verge of relegation, has an average attendance closer to 30,000.
Nonetheless, Wrexham’s recent rise sends a clear learning message to the world that anything is possible and overcoming the odds isn’t that big of a task.
Wrexham A.F.C. beat Charlton Athletic 3-0 in the League One clash on Saturday to notch their third straight promotion, this time to the EFL Championship! Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
